The resurgence of the vinyl record music format is well and truly under way. It has been steadily on an upward trajectory for 10 years and is currently booming once again. Last year, in 2020 nearly 5 million records were sold in the UK. This is the largest number of sales since the 90s which is a record number sold in the 21st century reaching a decade high. This is the highest since the days of 90s Britpop when Blur and Oasis were battling it out in the charts. A fifth of every album sold in the UK is on vinyl.
The surge in vinyl sales has been very significant with music collectors clambering to find new music and old favourites for their collection including limited editions and 12 inch singles. Music fans are purchasing vinyl by new artists such as Dua Lipa and classic records by David Bowie and Pink Floyd to name a few. Popular records sold recently include Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Hunky Dory by David Bowie and indie favourite (What’s The Story) Morning Glory by Oasis. As a vinyl collector it’s very satisfying to see that sales are attaining such impressive levels, giving a greater selection and options.
Music has the power to inspire people and you can get close to it by owning the actual vinyl as opposed to streaming the music. Steaming still accounts for the lion's share of sales of music. However, it is clearly evident that other formats like vinyl are undergoing a revival and are making a comeback and creating new followers. The immediacy of streaming a piece of music is all very quick and convenient. Actually having the vinyl physically and its cover artwork is part of the beauty of owning it.
It’s amazing that sales of vinyl LPs, 12” and 7” singles have risen to the levels that they have. Vinyl collectors will tell you that they always knew sales would eventually bounce back at some point in time. This is positive in an age of computers, tablets, mobile devices and endless streaming platforms. Music artists and groups are currently able to release music on a range of different formats. This is great for both collectors and casual music listeners. This means that there is something for everybody to enjoy on the format of their choice. This is an incredible bounce back for vinyl considering its decline because of streaming and downloading. It’s quite simply an amazing turnaround in fortune for the format.
In the current day and age vinyl can be bought both online and in physical bricks and mortar record stores. Online record stores such as Planet Earth Records stock a vast variety of vinyl records by array of different artists and groups. Sales have recently seen a heavy shift to online browsing and purchasing. Many rare and collectable records that could not be found in a physical record shop with a restricted level of inventory can be sourced online at the push of a button.
The trend for a surge in vinyl sales is also echoed in the US. Almost 30 million vinyl albums were sold in 2020. This is an amazing 50 percent higher than sales of 2019. This is a historic high with the Paul McCartney III album being a popular big seller. The McCartney III album was released in a multitude of different formats. These include many limited edition numbered vinyl pressings in various different colours.
Planet Earth Records have a large range of vinyl records for sale, from the 50's right up to the modern day.